1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ceramic electronic component and a method for producing the ceramic electronic component.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, ceramic electronic components such as monolithic ceramic capacitors have been used in harsher environments than compared with before.
Ceramic electronic components used for mobile devices such as cellular phones and portable music players are required to withstand drop impacts. Specifically, even if electronic components undergo drop impacts, it is necessary that they will not easily become detached from mount boards and that cracks will not easily form in electronic components.
Electronic components used for in-vehicle equipment such as ECUs are required to withstand the shock of a thermal cycle. Specifically, even if mount boards undergo deflection stress caused when the mount boards are subjected to thermal expansion and contraction due to a thermal cycle, it is necessary that cracks will not easily form in ceramic electronic components and solder used for mounting.
To satisfy such requirements, it has been proposed that an outer electrode containing a resin be formed using a thermosetting conductive paste instead of a conventional firing conductive paste. For example, WO2004/053901 discloses a ceramic electronic component including an outer electrode that is formed using a thermosetting conductive paste containing conductive particles with a high melting point, a metal powder with a melting point of 300° C. or lower, and a resin with a melting point of 300° C. or lower.
The ceramic electronic component disclosed in WO2004/053901 includes an outer electrode that contains a resin with high elasticity. Therefore, the ceramic electronic component disclosed in WO2004/053901 is excellent in terms of impact resistance and resistance to a thermal cycle. However, there is a problem in that the ceramic electronic component disclosed in WO2004/053901 has low moisture resistance.